Love's injuries: And why witnesses might have been confused

Yeardley Love shared an apartment with two roommates, who discovered her unresponsive and called 911.PHOTO: DAVE MCNAIR/UVA SPORTS

Among questions swirling in the wake of the so called UVA lacrosse killing is the confounding early report of possible alcohol poisoning allegedly made by the roommates who discovered the body of 22-year-old Yeardley Love, who now appears to have been beaten to death.

"City Police were called to 222 14th St. NW, apartment number 9, for a possible alcohol overdose," read the first official announcement of the incident, a press release from the City of Charlottesville to reporters at 9:40am Monday, May 3. Although the release did call the case a homicide investigation, many have expressed confusion over such vastly differing causes of death, particularly after a search warrant affadavit–- which led to the arrest of UVA men's lacrosse player George W. Huguely V–- revealed horrific details of what may have transpired.

Among the heinous-sounding elements: a "pool of blood on her pillow" and a hole in her bedroom door that appeared to have been created by a fist. Police would go on to list Love's injuries which included an eye swollen shut, scrapes on her chin, and a large contusion on the right side of her face.

Could the roommates really have called in a report of a fatally intoxicated friend?

Neither roommate has responded to the Hook's emailed request for comment, and the 911 call made by one of them at around 2:15 that morning will not be released until a trial, if ever, says Charlottesville Police Chief Tim Longo in a Wednesday interview.

Longo speculates one reason the roommates didn't immediately notice the extent of Love's injuries was that when they discovered her, she was face down. By the time police arrived, Longo explains, EMTs had turned Love onto her back to administer CPR and other lifesaving measures.

"The extent of her injuries was very obvious to us," says Longo, who has been interviewed extensively on various national news programs including The Today Show and Nancy Grace.

Asked by Grace if Love was clothed when police arrived, Longo paused briefly before declining to answer, citing sensitivity to Love's family.

Another possibility is that the roommates never did believe it was an alcohol overdose but that emergency responders–- told of an unresponsive student–- may have considered that to be the most likely scenario. It would not have been the first time they responded to such a call.

Just a month ago, fellow UVA fourth year and psychology major Joseph Luke Arwood, who, like Love, was due to graduate this year, was discovered unconscious inside his fraternity house, Sigma Phi (aka Serp), at 163 Rugby Avenue.

Hospitalized on Friday, April 2, the 21-year-old Arwood died two days later at UVA Hospital. Although no details about his condition or blood alcohol level prior to his death have been released, his death is mentioned on the homepage of the SEMS Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing alcohol abuse in college students.

UVA police, who handled that investigation, have not returned a reporter's call for comment, and a spokesperson at the chief medical examiner's office in Richmond says results of tests could take four to six months from the date of death.

Like many large universities, UVA has experienced several high-profile deaths attributed to alcohol. In March 2006, Matthew Pearlstone– a Cornell freshman visiting UVA friends–- died after a night of heavy drinking, and in 1997, 21-year-old UVA fourth year Leslie Anne Baltz fell down a staircase while intoxicated and died after hitting her head.

Longo says Love's roommates will be reinterviewed by police to determine exactly what they saw at the scene and in an effort to understand the events of the evening prior to Love's brutal killing.

90 comments

Laura May 7th, 2010 | 9:52am

I know there is nothing you can really do until crime is committed but at least try! Put the posibilities in motion. We have to learn in this society to be aware of danger especially toward women and children.

Grasping at Straws May 10th, 2010 | 7:22am

did you here what his NANNY had to say this morning?
***
Oh, so his former nanny said something innocuous.

well now.... May 6th, 2010 | 9:47pm

Wow, Charlotte! At whom was that directed?

Someone woke up on the defensive side of the bed this morning, apparently....

Harvey May 7th, 2010 | 6:35am

I was not trying to insinuate in anyway her roommates are in anyway guilty of foul play. Or in anyway aiding and abetting what happened to her. My heart strongly goes out to them. The grief they must be putting on themselves must be awful.

I only meant the facts of the report, as they have thus been released, do not entirely add up. And as a college graduate, at an elitist school, who played a "preppy" sport, and where alcohol was rampant, amongst my friends...and putting myself in their shoes, from my not too distant college experience...and who myself once felt the need to call 911 on my roommate after I could not wake him from being passed out on the couch after coming home from a party...i do have some idea of what would prompt someone to call 911 do to an alcohol overdose. Of course I knew that night he had freshmen initiation, had been heavily drinking, and their were no other obvious signs for him to be unresponsive. It was scary and frightening..and i was highly intoxicated myself...but putting myself in "their shoes" i would have noticed blood.

I DO NOT believe her roommates are guilty of anything, I don not think they did the wrong thing. I just think the facts as they have presented do not add up, simply because I give her friends/roommate more credit for her intelligence and awareness. I think a more likely scenario is that all the facts of that call, and what she reported have not been released because they are significant in what the roommate knew about the event that led up to that night, and during that night, and immediately after. And i think it is more likley that that information is being protected because it is crucial evidence in building a case against GH...NOT because she is guilty.

My heart certainly goes out to everyone of her friends and family members who must not only be feeling tremendous grief, but also guilt, in racking their brains, if there was more they could have done, or warning signs they should have noticed. But they should not blame themselves, because in more common situations their is a large gap between someone having a temper and being a murderer. It was probably the last thing on their minds. My guess is that even poor Yeardley herself, though being aware of his rage and anger, did not believe he was capable of bring it to this level.

May she find peace in heaven, and my her loved ones find peace in the memory of her wonderful life, and in the knowledge that she is now reunited with her father.

Harvey May 6th, 2010 | 11:51pm

one thing though that does make me a little suspicious that the seemingly "strange" claim of a 911 call do to alcohol poisoning is some how a significant factor in this case, rather than some sort of oversight, or simply explained away "negligence" do to their own intoxication...is the fact early on I posted my suspicions, concerns, and confusions on the matter on various articles on different websites. Originally posted, but within 10 minutes were all removed. These comments were not accusatory in anyway, mere confusion over the facts as they have thus been presented. It is however their quick removable, and now the polices comments that they feel the need to re-interview those roommates that that reported the 911 call, that just perhaps means their is some kind of significant tie in to the event leading up to, and those of that night.
I wish no one to be dragged through the mud who does not deserve it, but I also believe in justice above all else. And I can only hope that the right questions are asked and the whole truth emerges so that with justice and truth, Yeardley may truly be able to rest in peace. And that the truth will allow others to know the full extent of exactly what they need to stand up for and/or watch out for. May the one glimmering hope of her tragic death being greater insight and prevention of future incidents. And that those being treated illy by their significant others have the courage to speak up and the strength to know they are not to blame for the character flows in others.

Laura May 7th, 2010 | 8:01am

Sorry to say this but where were the friends prior to her death? I find it very sad that with everyone aware of George's violent streak and harassment to Yeardley that people didn't step in. I think Yeardley underestimated him as well and she should have talked to college security, her family, his family, friends. When someone is an abuser call them out!!!!!!

TWC May 7th, 2010 | 10:02am

Roommates may have been trashed themselves and may have not picked up on some obvious stuff.

But let's not lump her in with a murderer.

Meret May 7th, 2010 | 12:42am

If she was undressed I hope he did not go over there to rape her and when she fought, he killed her.

Do Jesus!

um May 6th, 2010 | 4:01pm

"Don't be a pill?" Are you serious? She was either dead or dying. I'm hardly being a "pill." This was most definitely a case of immediate life-or-death. This was a serious situation.

I'm not creating any conspiracy. I'm not trying to implicate anyone else in this case. Her friends did the right thing and called 911. I really don't think the EMTs would have acted any differently had they called it in as a severe beating, as opposed to alcohol poisoning. I'm just saying that this was very clearly "life-or-death."

Jake May 6th, 2010 | 7:58pm

I don't think this is that hard to figure out. Let's assume it WAS an alcohol overdose, what is the roommate most likely to say? "Oh my god, my roommate won't wake up" or "Oh my God, my roommate overdosed on alcohol?". ... Clearly the former. The EMT or 911 dispatch put in "alcohol overdose" as a possibility for an UNRESPONSIVE PATIENT. This is what was called in. It goes through about 2 or 3 systems before the EMT ever gets it. This is an entirely moot point. The roommates weren't "covering up" a murder, or anything of the sort. They called 911, and somehow "possible alcohol overdose" was included after UNRESPONSIVE FEMALE. People need to stop making mountains out of molehills.

Hoolarious May 6th, 2010 | 7:37pm

Emiwee, listen carefully: we. do. not. know. what. they. called. in. They may have said "our friend has overdosed on alcohol." But we don't know. They may have said "our friend is not waking up." But we don't know. And you don't know, either. That was the whole point of this article; in fact, you are exactly the person this article was written for--the person who has leapt to conclusions in the absence of factual information. We also don't know if they noticed the hole in the door right away. If they had been drinking as well (entirely possible), their observational and decision-making skills would have been impaired. They may have gone straight to panic -- "she seems inert, oh my god,I don't want to touch her, let's just call 911."

And @Jillpan -- seriously? You wrote, "I suspect EMT may rush to a scene more quickly for a beaten, dying woman than for a suspected alcohol OD." SERIOUSLY? you're saying that you think EMTs are going to get a call for an unresponsive person in the heart of UVa student-drinking land, a possible alcohol OD, and they're going to poke along on their way to that call, BUT if they had said "she looks like she's been beaten" then they'd fly to that call? My god, you know nothing about how EMTs approach their work, do you.

Jayne May 6th, 2010 | 7:43pm

I dislike adding to the speculation...but in my two experiences of calling 911 in my lifetime, I dialed the number while someone else was administering aid. I was on a landline, so I wasn't in the same room as the aid giver at all times. I had to walk over to the street sign to verify the intersection, which was unfamiliar to me. So essentially I was relaying second hand information from the aid-giver as she yelled it to me, between CPR breaths.

This may have been where the communication issue lies. Two people responded, a roommate and her male friend, one called 911 and the other stayed with the victim. Also, when making that call, you are still in shock, so you try to relay all the details, but you might miss something too.

William J May 6th, 2010 | 8:07pm

Malum: Obviously you have never taken a first aid course. An unresponsive individual needs to be assessed for an airway, breathing, and circulation. The only way to do this is to turn them over. A dead person with a broken neck is still dead. I suggest you take a Basic Life Support class before you start giving out false information over the internet.

As for being in their position, if I was an untrained college student I might have panicked as well and called 911 without knowing what else to do. I'm sure it was a very scary and traumatic situation. It is also possible that they were intoxicated as many university students are at 215am.

CLAS III May 8th, 2010 | 6:44pm

To Laura:
"What on earth was she doing in her room after a fight at a bar with this maniac"

What do you mean what on earth was she doing in her room after a fight! The first thing I'd want to do if I got in a fight would be go home and go to sleep. You suggest that she go run and hide. Where do you propose she do that if not her room?

Furthermore, there is no place to be blaming the coach in this situation. The players are in fact not supposed to be drinking while they are in season. I have friends who are on other teams at UVA and they all have random testing (drugs etc. ). Coaches do look out for their player, but they're not their parents. And as a quick reminder to Harry D, GH was in fact not THAT good. He, as MANY other star Virginia student athletes who were way more beneficial to the sport(take Sylven Landesberg in basketball) could have easily been suspended for not passing classes or unsportsmanlike behavior. It all comes down to the political barriers between the state and the school. Coaches should be able to request and be given all criminal reports regarding their players, which they currently can't get.

But back to her room not being a safe haven, I beg that you please tell me, where you would want her to go?

jillpan May 6th, 2010 | 3:35pm

Well, I would not turn the person over but I would check to see if they were breathing and you'd think you'd see the blood she was laying in. And with a busted in door, NO, alcohol poisoning would definately not be the first thing I thought of.

havok May 6th, 2010 | 5:41pm

Well UVA is very hard to get into, only the brightest...I guess unless you play Lacrosse

Jane D May 6th, 2010 | 5:44pm

jillpan - I was being facetious with regard to GH calling EMT. I am just trying to figure why someone would think alcohol poisoning?? It strikes me as odd. It doesn't make sense unless poor Yeardley had a history of drinking and passing out which I doubt as she doesn't seem that type - then again I didn't know her.

OK May 6th, 2010 | 5:32pm

Whoever said that GH V was bright? He comes across as the stereotypical loutish frat boy lacrosse player who majored in anthro as a gut.

OK May 6th, 2010 | 6:40pm

I got my Ph.D. at Berkeley after going to U.Va. as an undergrad. U.Va. was a joke in comparison. U.Va. has something like 4 members of the National Academy of Sciences. Berkeley has 130, with 36 more over at UCSF.

chouva May 7th, 2010 | 4:59am

they come home, the front door is unlocked, and the bedroom door is kicked in. i think that gives them ample reason to walk in and check on her. i dont see the issue at the moment. makes complete sense to me.

i would bet their had been drama all night or day and perhaps they were checking on her because of that.

EDNR May 7th, 2010 | 8:37am

Police looking at one of two scenarios...she was beaten or smothered. Face down on the pillow suggests the latter. The former is 2nd degree, the latter is premeditated first degree. That he confiscated her computer also may rise to 1st degree, that he carried out his prior threat. The obvious difference in VA is the death penalty vs 25 to life.

Puck May 6th, 2010 | 9:29pm

It's possible that the roommate who called may have been alcohol-impaired and may have missed the blood/bruises on her roommate. It may also have been dark as well when she tried to rouse Yeardly.

Matt May 6th, 2010 | 4:44pm

Where were her friends if there were signs earlier of pending violence??

Jane D May 6th, 2010 | 4:50pm

There could be a a number of reasons why someone would be non-responsive in bed. Why would one immediately think alcohol poisoning. I'm thinking I may not have even looked in on my roommate at 2:00 am in the morning. I think GH called 911 and made up some bogus claim to get EMT out there. Maybe he felt bad about what he did? Sounds like he'd know about alcohol poisoning from what I've read.

havok May 6th, 2010 | 6:06pm

UVA is rated as the 9th hardest public university to get into right after UNC chapel hill so it's still competitive even so it was more so 10 years ago

irony May 6th, 2010 | 10:45pm

Wouldn't it be a horrible irony if they came in from a night out and asked if George came over?

irony May 6th, 2010 | 10:47pm

^ not meant in a funny way, but I mean maybe they heard rumors that he was coming to "speak to her" again after apparently having public altercations with her at DKE and another time in which UNC lacrosse players had to pull him off her (this may be the same event).

um May 6th, 2010 | 3:39pm

Malum, apparently this was a "life-or-death" situation.

OK May 6th, 2010 | 6:13pm

Well, I graduated 13 years ago. The reason that good students went to U.Va. was because it was a lot cheaper than other schools that they had gotten into such as Ivy League schools.

MJ May 6th, 2010 | 6:18pm

OK - true about the "gut" but, honestly, UVa is hard. I went to UVa and now attend classes at a premier school, and UVa was harder. Way harder, and the level of teaching was sky high in comparison. I've now seen classes at many premier schools and UVa is definitely up there in terms of its excellence.

It isn't particularly difficult to manufacture doors that can withstand a punch from a college kid - even a stronger than average one. Maybe UVA should invest in some.

not to mention May 7th, 2010 | 7:18pm

It's not a UVA property.

jillpan May 6th, 2010 | 5:04pm

Jane,
Seeing a fist hole thru a door and said door kicked in may lead you to check in on your roomate at 2 am. GH did not call 911, the roomate did, and why in the world they did not report the severity of the situation I have no idea. I suspect EMT may rush to a scene more quickly for a beaten, dying woman than for a suspected alcohol OD.

Jake May 7th, 2010 | 9:36am

EDNR: Being beaten isn't necessarily 2nd degree murder by any stretch of the imagination. It only takes a second of "premeditation" for it to arise to first, and it can occur during the act. If her head was bashed in multiple times, that's first degree murder.

Also, the difference between First and Second degree murder isn't the death penalty. Death penalty is for capital murder. First degree is 25 years to life.

justbeinobjective May 7th, 2010 | 9:47am

Laura, it's easy to say what she SHOULD have done after the fact. Blaming her friends is not the answer either. I have been in Yeardley's position (abusive, posessive, obsessed partner). It's hard to "call them out" and get officials to listen or even do anything until a crime is committed.

havok May 6th, 2010 | 5:18pm

I'm just surprised that GH waived his miranda rights, especially being a supposedly 'bright' student at UVA, any fool knows not to talk to the police. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he talked as his admissions will be held against him and make his lawyer's silly 'accident' defense useless (hopefully).

Malum May 6th, 2010 | 3:28pm

I don't want to be your friend if the first thing you did when you found me unresponsive was to turn me over! Take a first aid course--until a neck injury has been ruled out, you don't move an injured person unless it's a life-or-death situation.

The University has been actively teaching students about the dangers of alcohol poisoning--it's probably the first thing they thought of--who would expect a college student to immediately jump to anything else?

Try putting yourself in their shoes.

Malum May 6th, 2010 | 3:48pm

I'm tired of everybody second-guessing frightened students and leaping to conspiracy theories.

And "um" generally I meant like a car getting ready to explode or geysers of blood--don't be a pill.

havak May 6th, 2010 | 3:52pm

These are 22 year olds getting ready to graduate, they are not some little middle school children.

OK May 6th, 2010 | 5:50pm

U.Va. is not very competitive. Only the Echols Scholars belong there academically, and even they've had a few homicidal psychopaths.

MJ May 6th, 2010 | 6:45pm

Berkeley shares the top academic ranking in the country for reputation - with Harvard! It's not a fair comparison, and it sounds like you did well for yourself following UVa. So did a lot of UVa grads who end up at Harvard, Princeton, etc. I don't think that disproves that it's a great University.

Tim Brown May 6th, 2010 | 6:47pm

Who really cares what was first called in??? Maybe the roommates made the wrong analysis, or maybe the operator made an assumption and relayed their assumption to the police. Either way, what does it really matter?

MS24 May 6th, 2010 | 7:10pm

This was not just a simple alcohol overdose call made to 911. If you look at the rescue squad incident display system the call went out for a "Cardiac Arrest - Medic" emergency. They clearly knew something was very wrong. If you look on there you will also notice they have a "unconsciousness - not responding" tag. Whatever was said on the 911 call, they made it clear she was in big trouble. Regardless, I'm sure they were terrified, let it be.

well now.... May 6th, 2010 | 7:14pm

clearly something is not right emiwee.... Cowardice seems like a likely explanation for the discrepancy.

If you call 911 and get some details wrong, it's not a crime unless you're intentionally trying to cover up a crime. It may simply be that her neighbors didn't want to say, "hey I think this lacrosse player just came over and killed my neighbor" but did want to get the EMTs there ASAP, but knew that once the EMTs were there, the truth would come out.

Doesn't seem that hard to understand nor too significant to me, but then I didn't go to UVA.... ;)

emiwee May 6th, 2010 | 6:59pm

Tim-I care because it seems extremely odd that the roomate, looking at a bashed in door and an unresponsive body, called in an alcohol overdose. Something in not right.

anonymous May 7th, 2010 | 1:27am

really everyone? put yourself in their shoes and think about if YOU had walked in your house to find your girlfriend unresponsive and then have people who have no idea what they're talking about accuse you of foulplay/"something not being right". this young girl was a senior in college and it was 2 am- lots of college kids drink at that hour or have drank too much by then. it's not a weird thing to assume its alcohol related when youre in a panic (or could be drunk yourself) and cant wake up one of your friends. please have respect and not be so insensitive, these are college kids who were weeks away from graduating, and they had to find one of their friends dead. the last thing the UVA community needs is more pain.

Harvey May 6th, 2010 | 9:33pm

This IS an article about the events that led up to and what happened directly after poor Yeardley's frightening death right? And about how confusing facts, and what is reported by the media can be? How it can create presumptuos speculations. And also to point out no one but who was really there knows exactly what happened......NOT about how cool or how hard UVa is to get into right?

This case is not about the admissions process and standards of some state school in VA....its about the murder of an innocent girl.

Both UVA loving and UVA hating people out their need to get over yourself and let your secondary agendas to prove how cool or uncool UVA is go.

What happened to Yeardley is not about where she went to school, or how affluent GH family is. Its about rage taking the life of a victim.

Sara Madison May 10th, 2010 | 3:52pm

Blink on Crime has some interesting information I haven't seen anywhere else.

nbc29fan May 19th, 2010 | 1:03am

Is there any chance a member of the lacrosse team could have done something to Morgan Harrington? Maybe the UVa athletic department needs to have some sort of hotline where athletes can anonymously report crimes by athletes?!

havak May 6th, 2010 | 2:57pm

It really does not make sense at all the the roomate who called 911 reported this as an alcohol overdose. If your friend did not respond, would you not look closely at them, roll them over, etc? Yardley's injuries seem like they should have been over the top obvious.

Charlotte May 6th, 2010 | 9:18pm

OK,
You have no idea what you are talking about. Sounds like you are a disgruntled person who would have never been accepted to UVA in the first place. In fact, you were probably denied admission which is probably why you seem to suggest you have so much insight into what it take to gain admission. Better luck next time.

Wahoowa...

Restore the Republic May 6th, 2010 | 8:57pm

'Asked by Grace if Love was clothed when police arrived, Longo paused briefly before declining to answer, citing sensitivity to Love’s family.'

Well, if you don't want to answer clothed, which has zero issues regarding 'sensitivity', then she must have either been unclothed, or partially dressed. The next question would be, was she dressed in the evening comfort of her own bedroom, or was George responsible for her state of being disrobed? Then there is another question in the sequence that I will leave alone.

jini May 6th, 2010 | 9:02pm

They did the best they could at that horrible time. The fact remains that a beautiful young woman is dead at the hands of a disturbed boy who had anger management, alcohol, and violence against women issues. He never should've gotten to the point where he was in a position to kill Yeardley or anyone else. Everyone needs to speak up when they see the warning signs that were there along the way! My heart goes out to the Love family.

Harvey May 6th, 2010 | 9:15pm

many people have been trained in first aid and have been told not to move a body for fear of a neck or spine injury. However...if your roommate was lying in her own bed i highly doubt most people would think...oh no better not move her she might have a spine injury! She was in her own bed.

If i saw my roommate lying in her own bed i would probably just think she was sleeping. However if I was concerned about her, I would approach her and shake her, to see if she was ok, breathing? wanted water? If I found her unresponsive I would probably notice she wasn't breathing, and check her pulse...and if I was close enough to her body to do that, I probably would have noticed blood on her pillow! or perhaps on her wall where her head had been hot against it, or perhaps I would have noticed a hole in her door.

From what has been released so far, calling about alcohol poisoning does not make sense, at all. But that does not mean everything the media is reporting is the full truth.

MJ May 6th, 2010 | 9:43pm

Harvey definitely is right. My apologies, I was out of line.

The comments were very intelligent regarding the time of night and the possibility roommates came back, saw the victim motion-less, and then called 911. The simplest explanations are helpful: it was very dark, they probably wanted to ask her something after coming back late and felt something was horribly wrong but were not sure.

That makes a lot of sense to me.

AJ May 6th, 2010 | 10:35pm

Why is everybody so restless? The truth will come out in due process.

think logically May 6th, 2010 | 11:41pm

1) It's irrelevant what her friends thought and irresponsible to attack them right now, given the grief we are all feeling and the guilt they are unnecessarily but inevitably laboring under, without asinine conjecture from strangers.

2) They didn't necessarily say they suspected an alcohol overdose. They were devastated and scared, and the only important thing to get across was "ambulance, 14th street, now, our friend isn't breathing." The 911 receiver would obviously assume it was an alcohol overdose, it being Charlottesville, and that's how it would go into the initial police record.

duh May 7th, 2010 | 8:23am

You people make me sick.

LMW May 7th, 2010 | 9:31am

EDNR: clearly she was beaten, i can see where the smothering is YTBD, but you don't bleed from being smothered. not to mention GH admitting to slamming her head into the wall numerous times.

No one can be to blame here except Huguely.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Yeardly's family and frieds. I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through.

HarryD May 8th, 2010 | 8:44am

Confused? She was beaten into submission! And died from a lack of anyone doing anything to help, including the punk who killed her.

His lacrose coach surely knew this punk, unless the coach lived in a vacumm or had no concern.

Everyone talks about Ã¢â?¬Å?warning signs””Š”Š”Š.an athletic coach is a life coach. The best ones know their charges and can get the point across, and still have Ã¢â?¬Å?winning” teams. Maybe the punk was Ã¢â?¬Å?too good a player to fail”. Maybe the team and coach wanted the win so badly that it didn’t matter how they did it. The other players knew this punk too- they never had the balls to say a thing or keep him in line. Now they all say Ã¢â?¬Å?we knew something would happen”Š..” a little late to speak up.

None of these people who never had the balls to say a thing, or intervene will ever make it in the real world, without help from daddy”Š.

HarryD May 8th, 2010 | 8:48am

I am surprised the punk didn't use his lacrosse stick- oh, maybe that would have not been manly...........look out punk, Bubba has his eye, and you know which one I mean, on you.........

Laura May 8th, 2010 | 11:17am

Harry D Exactly my point. The coach should have been made aware of his players violent streak as well as drinking problem. Many coaches do not allow drinking during season of playing but this is Lacrosse and Virginia! I AM NOT blaming the roomates. I am saying this girl needed to protect herself and didn't go to proper measures. What on earth was she doing in her room after a fight at a bar with this maniac. To anybody who has seen a drunk and angry person...run and hide.

messimamm May 8th, 2010 | 1:52pm

wonder if the 911 operator asked if there might be a possibility of alcohol poisoning, to which the caller simply responded "yes. Many of the reports I've read have stated "possible" alcohol poisoning.

HarryD May 8th, 2010 | 2:37pm

JBC- the door wasn't the problem. The yet to be explained lack of supervision and disciplining of this punk is to blame- the parents, the coach, the police, the judge(s), anyone who knew this punk should have slapped him into reality............I know one who will....Bubba will have fun Boy George- one thing you don't do is go to prison thinking you are a Big Bad Dude (killing a girl) when you are a measily 6-1, not even close to a "big" dude in the "big" house. He'll learn what BIG is when Bubba introduces him to one eyed Bubba........

Can't wait to see this punk cry in the court room- ah, the Menedez brothers............

Laura May 8th, 2010 | 7:05pm

She could have gone to numerous friends dorms, apts, hotel room or sleep in a car until morning but the last thing to do is go alone to your home. At least Hugeley would have sobered up. He told people he was going to "get her back". They needed to step up and restrain him. Understand one thing here. I am sick over Yeardleys death. I am sick over Morgan Harringtons death. Natalee Holloway, Brittanee Drexel. I feel nobody watches out for violence the way it needs to be. We are a society of cell phones. We should use them for protection. Yeardley could call a hotline and be picked up and brought to a safe house. I'm sorry I just feel sad...that's all.

Kiki May 8th, 2010 | 7:55pm

To Laura: Hindsight is always 20/20. I didn't know Ms. Love nor am do I have psychic ablities, but I would imagine she thought or had a reasonable expectation that she would be safe in her own apartment, in her bedroom esp. when it appears her bedroom door was locked. Also, she lived with other people. Seriously, the idea of her being safer if she slept in her car makes no sense. It's a bit like saying that had she not never met him in the first place she would still be alive. True, but that is not her fault. No one could have known he would end up killing her. Likewise, she could not have known as she retired to bed that would be her last night alive.

Laura May 8th, 2010 | 8:10pm

I know Kiki We have no way of believing the capabilities of death by murder are in the mix of our lives. BUT I still believe she should never have gone back to the apt. She needed to disappear for a night where he couldn't find her. Home was the worse place to go. Don't be naive. Sleeping in a car would have been safer. (I've done it...I know)I look at her face and just fall apart. This guy who claimed to love her and was obsessed with her couldn't even save her with a 911 call.

Sara Madison May 8th, 2010 | 8:34pm

First of all: I don't blame anyone but Huguely for Yeardley Love's death. Not UVa, not the coaches, not the lacrosse teams.

But Yeardley shouldn't have been alone that night. It's pretty clear from what's coming out now that there had been recent altercations and that Huguely had been publically drinking and making threats. So how come a couple of teammates weren't keeping an eye on him? Or her? Why was she all alone to face his drunken rage?

I guess none of them thought this could happen, and when I was 22 I probably wouldn't have thought so either. So I hope that Yeardley's terrible death is a wakeup call to kids everywhere: recognize the warning signs of abuse, and take steps to help your friends protect themselves.

Laura May 8th, 2010 | 8:43pm

Thank you! I've been trying to say that but you did a better job. YES recognize the signs because abuse...especially alcohol abuse/rage is rampant.

Kiki May 8th, 2010 | 11:23pm

Laura, I am not being naive. If Love had gone to a hotel or slept in a car, she would have been far more alone then had she been in her apartment. She did not live alone. She had roommates and a bedroom with a lock on the door. I assume the front door had a lock as well, but for whatever reason it was not locked. Heck, she probably had her phone in her room as well. Had I been in her situation, I would have felt safe. I would wager she was asleep when he broke into her room. She may not have even been aware that she was alone in the apartment. I bet that had someone been there, she would still be alive.

Kiki May 8th, 2010 | 11:34pm

" I don’t blame anyone but Huguely for Yeardley Love’s death. Not UVa, not the coaches, not the lacrosse teams... So how come a couple of teammates weren’t keeping an eye on him?"

I am actually much more concerned that the coach, who we know at least knew about Huguely beating up another teammate, never bothering to report this to the administration than I am about Huguely's teammates who range in age from 18-22. Frankly, it wasn't these kids' responsiblity to look after him. Should they have? Yeah. However, these are young people who typically don't have the knowledge or life experience to handle these sorts of things. I can't believe the coach had no knowledge of these other things. So much is being made about how Love might be alive had she slept in a car or a hotel, but what about this coach who knew this kid was capable of violence. Seriously, isn't breaking and entering into someone's apartment and bruising their face because they supposed kissed your then-girlfriend ring some serious bells? I said it before on another thread, but this coach has some serious explaining to do.

Sara Madison May 9th, 2010 | 9:56am

I totally agree that the coach was an adult in a position of authority, and better positioned to take action. I just don't think he had all the information; certainly, he didn't have nearly as much information as the players did.

Anyway, I really don't think any of these people saw it coming. It's easy to say that they should have, but clearly none of them did. So the best I can hope is that a lot of other people -- kids, coaches, administrators, etc. -- will learn from what happened and recognize the warning signs before something so tragic can happen again.

HarryD May 9th, 2010 | 2:29pm

It has nothing to do with age- 16+ yr old kids join the armed forces and keep an eye on each other- the lack of discipline is a big this in the armed forces, on athletic teams and in life.

Lots of things missed in Boy George's life- There are plenty of coaches who don't care who plays for them- they are coaches and schools who take the castaways......UVa is not supposed to be one of those schools.

What it is is that others don't think they should get involved with someone elses problem- when you are on an athletic team, debate team, attack team (SWAT or infantry) you take care of each other. No one took care of this punk- "because I didn't want to get involved". Even his parents evidently gave up on him- they let others take care of him- did you here what his NANNY had to say this morning?

Let's change that right now- get involved!!!!!

Kiki May 9th, 2010 | 5:26pm

Harry-What did the nanny say this morning? Do you have a link?

@Sarah-We truly don't know that the coach didn't have as much info. as the players. I was not suggesting that he should have saw it coming, but I find it beyond troubling that after he learned that Huguely broke & entered a teammate's apartment and then proceed to beat the guy up that this was not reported to any of the higher ups. This isn't just about possibly violating any UVa codes of conduct, we are talking about criminal activity here. Also, Huguely didn't live in a bubble. This guy was out and about in the community of Charlottesville. Did anyone not think this guy's anger issues could lead to some serious problems?

Sara Madison May 9th, 2010 | 8:16pm

I also want to know what the nanny had to say.

Laura May 9th, 2010 | 8:59pm

Nanny What Nanny???????

agarn May 9th, 2010 | 9:23pm

Get used to a world where people mind their own business and allow these monsters to walk the streets. His teamates should have set him on the right path.

I would like to know what his childhood therapist thinks about all that "time out" advice that was doled out trying to fix him.

The Arisotcrats.....

Kiki May 9th, 2010 | 9:35pm

Calling him a monster suggests that he was "just that way" rather than made into that through a combination of being over-indulgence and instilled with the belief that he was somehow better than everyone else. Also, how where his teammates who range in age from 18-22 suppose to "set him on the right path" after 22 years? That was the job of his parents to do when he was a child.

Also, I don't think he ever got a time out. That would imply that someone was trying to curb his bad behaviour or took the time to actually pay attention to what was going on in his life.

"Huguely's former nanny, Danielle Dubois, told WJLA that she was shocked her former charge was mixed up with a murder allegation."

"I'm just shocked and confused and surprised because kids can be kids and boys can be boys, especially being a nanny, but never to the point of something to this magnitude," DuBois said.

She added, "I knew them pretty well. He's a good-hearted kid."

Kiki May 10th, 2010 | 9:36am

Sorry, Harry, but I don't see what is so shocking or significant about the nanny's statement. Had she said he was prone to violence or that the parents ignored him, that would be significant.

Laura May 10th, 2010 | 9:44am

Don't forget he may have been a wonderful "normal" little boy but once he started abusing alcohol he became a different person.

Kiki May 10th, 2010 | 10:28am

@Laura-Exactly.

Most people are going to say good things about a child unless it is a case that the child was a sociopath or engaging in extreme behaviours. Also, I think too much is being made over the fact he had a nanny. A lot of wealthy people employ nannies, and most of their kids turn out fine. We don't know if this woman was PT, FT or how long he was her charge.

RE JBC's post: "It isn’t particularly difficult to manufacture doors that can withstand a punch from a college kid - even a stronger than average one. Maybe UVA should invest in some."

This is true, but you walk a fine line between excluding the (drunk) college kid and disallowing the fireman's axe in need of rescue entry. Either event has a low probability of occurring, but how strong do you make a door before it could be a potential liability rather than an asset?

Andy May 7th, 2010 | 8:35pm

Chances are, the two kids finding her (the roommate and her boyfriend) were so drunk they didn't notice things that would have given a sober person pause: the hole in the door, the blood on the pillow, Yeardley lying face down....